The present invention relates to signs for exhibiting prices at gasoline stations, and more particularly to single digit electronic sign elements suitable for using with existing signs.
During a business day, events may motivate one or more price changes at gasoline stations. For example, fuel costs may change or a competitor may change prices. The station operator may observe that sales are low due to too high of a price, or that long lines are developing at pumps are due to too low of a price. Additionally, station operators may wish to adjust prices at predetermined times during the day based on predictable changes in demand. For example, some stations are contractually obligated to remain open 24 hours of the day. Lower prices may add to sales (and thus profits) outside commuting hours, and both operating cost and market prices may increase between late night and early morning hours.
Gasoline stations are often operated by a single individual responsible for a variety of tasks including receiving payments for fuel and other purchases, resolving any problems that might arise, monitoring activity around the station, and adjusting fuel prices. Generally, gasoline stations are required to post fuel prices which are in agreement with actual prices on gasoline pumps. Although changing actual prices on the pumps may be fairly easy, changing prices on signs may be difficult and time consuming. Because the operator does not have time available to manually changes prices on signs posted for passing motorists, the station operator is not free to make desired price changes on the pumps. As a result, profits are reduced.
Known gasoline station signs use replaceable numerals comprising rectangular transparent plastic sheets bearing numerals, which replaceable numerals are changed to reflect new fuel prices. The replaceable plastic numerals reside over a transparent window (or face) which passes light radiated from light sources inside the sign. Generally, the replaceable plastic numerals slide into tracks or holders on the faces. Because of the expense of replacing the entire gasoline station sign, there is a need for an apparatus and method for replacing existing replaceable numerals with controllable electronic numerals.
Some replacement Light Emitting Diode (LED) numerals have been proposed, which numerals comprise a single LED panel displaying a three or four digit price of fuel. Unfortunately, such panels are heavy and are not effectively adaptable to signs with curved fronts. The large multi-digit panels may not match the curvature of sign fronts, and thus are not suitable for mounting outside the face, and when the large multi-digit panels are mounted inside the face, a gap between the curved face and the flat panel results in defusion of light and thus blurring of the prices.
Known sign faces are generally acrylic or poly carbonate. The acrylic faces are most common, and may crack if holes are drilled to mount LED panels. The poly carbonate faces may be drilled but are less frequent.
What is needed is a method and apparatus for replacing the existing plastic numerals with individual single digit LED modules, which method preferably does not require drilling mounting holes in acrylic faces of signs.